Celebrations for the start of 2015 have taken place across Asia and Europe, with firework displays in a host of major cities.

New Zealand led the way, with Sydney Harbour providing a spectacular backdrop to Australia's display.

Europe's celebrations began in Moscow with fireworks over St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin.

Up to 1.5 million people lined the shores of Sydney harbour to see the city's famous firework display.

Celebration plans were muted in Indonesia in the wake of the recent AirAsia Flight crash.

But across the rest of Asia there were lavish parties, with a sound and light show at Beijing's Olympic stadium and an eight-minute firework display in Hong Kong.

In London the celebrations were centred around the London Eye in the middle of London

2015 is the "Year of the Sheep" in China, as illustrated by this student in eastern Shandong province

It was a similar picture from students in Ahmadabad, India

Grandfather Frost - the Russian equivalent of Father Christmas - and his granddaughter joined Kyrgyzstan's new year parade in Bishkek

Shinto priests conduct an end of year ritual ahead of the new year at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. Over the coming days, more than three million people are expected to visit the shrine to pray for health and prosperity in 2015

People hung wooden plaques with wishes or prayers for 2015 at the shrine

Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour was lit up by fireworks as the clock hit midnight

A woman prays during new year celebrations at Jogye Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea

Moscow's skyline lit up as fireworks flared over the Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral

Runners in Brazil's annual Sao Silvestre race in Sao Paulo warmed up for the night of celebration with a 15km run

In Italy people welcomed the new year on the Piazza Venezia in Rome

In Greece a firework display was held in central Athens

In France revellers gathered near the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris

The Gulf Arab emirate of Dubai aimed to break the world record for the largest LED-illuminated facade

Sydney's Harbour Bridge was the centrepiece of the city's new year fireworks

Students at China's Shenyang Agriculture University found their own way of marking the start of 2015